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Data & Research

Resource | Research, Analysis & Background | Demonstrations Evaluation of the USDA Summer EBT Demonstrations: Lessons Learned From More Than a Decade of Research

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 authorized Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children (Summer EBT) as a permanent federal food assistance entitlement program beginning in summer 2024. Summer EBT has been tested through evaluations of demonstration projects since 2011. With pending implementation of this new program, this is an appropriate time to reflect on what USDA, FNS research has learned through more than a decade of study.

03/12/2024
Resource | Research, Analysis & Background | Assessing/Improving Operations Best Practices in USDA Disaster SNAP Operations and Planning

Through an examination of 5 disasters in 4 states, this study develops recommendations for best practices in planning for, implementing, and operating D-SNAP. 

12/14/2023
Resource | Research, Analysis & Background | Assessing/Improving Operations National and State Level Estimates of WIC Eligibility and Program Reach in 2021

This report, the latest in a series of annual reports on WIC eligibility, presents 2021 national and state estimates of the number of people eligible for WIC benefits and the percents of the eligible population and the US population covered by the program, including estimates by participant category.

11/03/2023
Resource | Research, Analysis & Background | Impacts/Evaluations Evaluation of Technology Modernization for SNAP Benefit Redemption Through Online Transactions

​This study evaluated the implications of online SNAP benefit redemption on program integrity. In addition, the study gathered basic information about online benefit redemption, including the use in urban and rural settings.

09/26/2023
Resource | Research, Analysis & Background | Benefit Content/Cost Analysis of Robotic Process Automation in SNAP: Three Case Studies

​This study examines the use of robotic process automation technologies by three state agencies—Georgia, New Mexico, and Connecticut—to administer SNAP.

09/20/2023
Resource | Research | Report to Congress Actualizacion del Estudio de Viabilidad para la lmplementacion del SNAP en Puerto Rico

Este informe de viabilidad presenta los resultados de un estudio del Servicio de Alimentos y Nutrición (FNS, por sus siglas en inglés) del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA, por sus siglas en inglés) para evaluar los cambios administrativos, operativos y de integridad programática necesarios para operar el Programa de Asistencia Nutricional Suplementaria (SNAP, por sus siglas en inglés) en Puerto Rico.

08/31/2023
Resource | Research, Analysis & Background | Food Security Reaching Those in Need: Estimates of State SNAP Participation Rates in 2020

​This report—part of an annual series—presents estimates of the percentage of eligible persons, by state, who participated in USDA's SNAP during an average month in fiscal year 2020 and in the two previous fiscal years. Because the Coronavirus COVID-19 public health emergency affected data collection starting in March 2020, this summary covers only the pre-pandemic period of October 2019 through February 2020. Thus, this report presents rates only for all eligible persons during the pre-pandemic months of FY 2020.

08/15/2023
Resource | Data | Cost Study USDA Food Plans

USDA produces four food plans outlining practical, nutritious diets at successively higher cost levels: the Thrifty, Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans. The Thrifty Food Plan serves as the basis for maximum allotments in SNAP.

08/03/2023
Resource | Research, Analysis & Background | Nutrition Education FY 2022 USDA Nutrition Education Coordination

This report offers a description of nutrition education within USDA and a summary of coordinated nutrition education activities completed from October 2021 through September 2022. Activities include nutrition education defined by statute, policies that encourages nutrition education or promotion, and USDA priorities.

 

08/01/2023
Resource | Research, Analysis & Background | Assessing/Improving Operations Child Nutrition Program Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic, March Through September 2020

This data collection fulfills states’ reporting requirements and describes trends in program participation during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is part of an ongoing study series examining CN program operations, repurposed to collect waiver reports from all states.

05/23/2023
Page updated: January 12, 2024